Hardly any U.S. towns collect more precipitation than Swede Heaven: 77 inches a year
The coldest hours of a January night bottom out at 33° on average. November is the wettest month, July the driest. In July, afternoons here are cooler than in 98% of U.S. towns. Plan time outside from May to September, when highs sit at 65–76°.
A year in Swede Heaven at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Swede Heaven’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Swede Heaven’s place in Washington beside it.
What a year in Swede Heaven feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 190 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 16 and the first by October 23. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Darrington Rs, WA, 5 miles from the town’s center, 100 ft higher.
The 2023 USDA map puts Swede Heaven’s center in zone 8b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 16°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 16 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Concrete Ppl Fish Stn, WA, falls mostly in December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 77 inches a year; November is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 185 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Swede Heaven
96% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through May.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Darrington Rs, WA.
Living with Swede Heaven’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
190 frost-free days in zone 8b. The last frost comes by Apr 16 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 23.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 5.0 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Swede Heaven from natural hazards, landslides are the largest share (52%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Swede Heaven and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Swede Heaven yet.
Climates most like Swede Heaven’s, farther away
TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swede Heaven, WA | 33° | 76° | 77" | 16" |
| Brevard, NC | 27° | 83° | 69" | 7.1" |
| Tillamook, OR | 38° | 71° | 87" | 0.2" |
| Crossville, TN | 27° | 84° | 59" | 14" |
| Fortuna, CA | 42° | 70° | 55" | 0.7" |
Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Swede Heaven averaged 0.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.7°).
A smaller shift than in 88% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.
How Swede Heaven compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Swede Heaven’s place among Washington’s.
Swede Heaven weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Swede Heaven’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Concrete Ppl Fish Stn, WA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 42° | 33° | 11.5" | 5.0" | 21 | 7 | 31° – 43° |
| February | 46° | 33° | 7.1" | 1.5" | 18 | 2 | 30° – 45° |
| March | 52° | 35° | 8.6" | 1.3" | 20 | 1 | 38° – 50° |
| April | 58° | 38° | 5.5" | 0.0" | 18 | 0 | 42° – 53° |
| May | 65° | 44° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 49° – 60° |
| June | 69° | 48° | 2.9" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 55° – 64° |
| July | 76° | 52° | 1.3" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 60° – 67° |
| August | 76° | 52° | 1.7" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 60° – 66° |
| September | 70° | 48° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 56° – 63° |
| October | 58° | 42° | 8.3" | 0.0" | 17 | 0 | 46° – 55° |
| November | 48° | 36° | 12.7" | 0.9" | 21 | 1 | 38° – 46° |
| December | 41° | 33° | 10.7" | 7.6" | 21 | 3 | 32° – 41° |
| Year | 58° | 41° | 77.4" | 16.3" | 185 | 15 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 30° to 45°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Swede Heaven’s numbers come from
Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →
- Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at Swede Heaven’s center.
- Snow: Concrete Ppl Fish Stn, WA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Darrington Rs, WA, 5 miles from the town’s center, 100 ft higher; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
- Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
- Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).
Common questions about Swede Heaven’s climate
What is the weather like in Swede Heaven?
A typical July afternoon reaches 76°, a January night drops to 33°, and about 16 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 77% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 98% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Swede Heaven in winter?
December nights average 33°. About 102 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 32°.
How much snow does Swede Heaven get?
About 16 inches in a normal winter at Concrete Ppl Fish Stn, WA, most of it in December, with snow on the ground about 15 days a year.
How hot does it get in Swede Heaven?
July, with a typical high of 76° and a low of 52°. About 14 days a year reach 90° (Darrington Rs, WA).
When is the first and last frost in Swede Heaven?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 16 and the first fall frost by October 23, about 190 frost-free days, at Darrington Rs, WA.
What growing zone is Swede Heaven in?
Zone 8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 16°.
What is the best time of year to visit Swede Heaven?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Swede Heaven getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.8° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 88% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Swede Heaven.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.